


Song of Affection

by Asdrator



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Romance, anyways nailah/rafiel makes me soft, i wanted to include aran/laura too but couldn’t find anywhere for it to fit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asdrator/pseuds/Asdrator
Summary: Nailah and Rafiel are sent by the United Bird Tribe on a diplomatic mission to Daein, a year after the events of Radiant Dawn. However, they end up involved in something entirely unsurprising.
Relationships: Micaiah/Pelleas (Fire Emblem), Nailah & Micaiah, Nailah/Rafiel (Fire Emblem), Rafiel & Pelleas
Kudos: 18





	Song of Affection

It was hot, burning hot. The heat seared him, felt like it would incinerate him. Everything hurt, his body ached down to the bones. Painstakingly, agonizingly, he crawled through the sand beneath him, inch by arduous inch, in hopes of finding help somewhere, anywhere, for his people. Not once did it cross his mind to get help for himself. Even as he could no longer fly, could no longer even walk, only one thought remained on Rafiel’s mind.

Was there anyone at all he could still save?

Soon, there was no longer any strength left in his arms to pull himself further, and all he could do was lie there and let despair set in.

Then he heard a voice from someone standing above him, speaking the Ancient Language, though he couldn’t quite make out the words. Another heron? No, that couldn’t be, not all the way out here. Nobody in their right mind would flee into the desert. Then- who?

His consciousness began to fade, and he felt his eyelids grow heavier and heavier, too heavy for him to keep open, despite his best efforts. Rafiel felt himself be turned over and picked up by strong, but gentle arms, and looked at his rescuer just once before everything went dark.

That was the first time he ever saw Nailah.  
—————————————————————  
Nailah woke to whimpers of discomfort and fear, coming from her true love and husband Rafiel next to her. His whimpering and pained cries as he shifted restlessly from one place to another where he slept in the bed they shared worried her greatly. A bad dream, surely, she thought. Perhaps of his time as a slave? He had suffered from such before. She reached out to him to try and wake him up from his nightmare, but just as she made contact, she saw his expression that seemed somewhat soothed, and even… happy, as if seeing a long lost love.

However, she had already touched his face, and Rafiel stirred awake mere moments after the apparent shift in his mood. He always had been a light sleeper, like Reyson and the polar opposite of Leanne and, according to him, Lillia. “Ah, Nailah? Thank goodness…”

“Thank goodness?” She asked, puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”

Sitting up in the bed, Rafiel looked at her apologetically with his bright green eyes that held so much life in them and infinitely more compassion. “Ah, I should explain, shouldn’t I?” He held out his hand in front of him and looked away from her to stare into it, balling it into a fist and then relaxing his grip. “I was having a dream, but it wasn’t like one of the ones where I’m still a slave. This dream- it was painful, to be sure, and I thought I would die by the end of it. Even so, it was really relaxing when I saw you, at the end of it, and felt your touch.” Letting his hand fall down, he again met Nailah’s eye with his own, and smiled that ever kind smile she had fallen in love with. “I dreamed of the day we met, Nailah. The day you saved me. Thank you, Nailah, for everything. Nothing has ever brought me greater joy than my time together with you.”

With a snort, Nailah rolled her eyes. “You flatterer. Go ahead, make me fall even more in love with you, if you can.”

“You know I mean every word of it.” Rafiel told her, and she did know, and it made her smile. He couldn’t say something he didn’t mean to save his life, and it was one of the many, many reasons Nailah loved him.

“I love you so much, Rafiel. I really do.” Nailah pulled him into a hug, careful to be gentle so as not to injure him. Once, she might have said it was a shame how fragile the herons were, how even a firm grip for them would have more severe consequences. Now she knew better, knew that there was great beauty within that fragility. “I’m glad I found you that day. The thought of you dying all alone like that… it scares me. I won’t ask you to just stay safe, because I know it isn’t that easy and there are always dangers in a life well lived. That said, you don’t have to thank me for saving you from those dangers, ever. I do it for you, not for gratitude.”

Laughing softly, Rafiel returned her hug and rested his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes. “You’re very modest, Nailah. I’ve always admired that about you. You’re a really good person, and I don’t say that just because I love you.” He drew his arms back from their hug, and she responded in kind. They continued to sit there together, his head still resting atop her shoulder. “I also regard you more highly than I can ever put into words, and everyone else who respects you like you deserve thinks the same. So it’s hard to not be grateful to you, when you make me grateful for every moment that I’m alive.” He pressed a kiss to her neck and she grinned at the display of affection, running her fingers through his long hair.

“What is it with you and being so charming all the time, huh? We’ve known each other for 21 years now, and you still find new ways to enchant me.” Nailah remarked, staring down at him fondly. “At risk of sounding sappy, asking you to marry me was the best decision I ever made.”

“You could never sound sappy, dearest.” Rafiel picked his head up and looked her in the eyes lovingly. “You’re much too busy sounding like the woman I love more than anything in the world.”

“Heh. If you were anyone else, I’d say you were making fun of me by saying that.” Nailah pressed her lips to his for a brief moment, then pulled back to stare into his eyes once more. “Now how about we get some more rest before actually getting up? We have a big day ahead of us.”

“That sounds just wonderful, my love.” Putting their heads back onto the pillows, they fell asleep once more, holding each other’s hands.

All these years, Nailah thought before sleep took hold of her once more, and she loved him just as much as the day they had wed.  
—————————————————————  
The reason they had been in a beorc-style bed that morning was because they were on a diplomatic mission to Daein on behalf of the United Bird Tribe, being old friends of Queen Micaiah herself from the days of the Dawn Brigade. Being woken up by royal servants and asked to prepare for the meeting was not a usual experience for Rafiel, or at least it hadn’t been since his early years in Hatari, but being a morning person (and a night person, he was sometimes told there wasn’t any time he was even a little grumpy) he got himself ready with ease, changing into new robes. Nailah, for her part, having gotten used to their much more relaxed schedule in Serenes, was more than a little reluctant to get up, muttering something about it being ‘too damn early’, which made Rafiel laugh. “Come now, Nailah, we can’t keep Micaiah waiting. She’s a very busy woman these days.” Slowly but surely, Nailah dragged herself out of bed with no shortage of grumbling, and got dressed for the day. When at last they were all set, the two headed out the door.

Only to almost immediately run into Queen Micaiah herself as she walked down the hall, who seemed as surprised by their sudden appearance as they were to see her there at all. “Ah, right. I’m supposed to be meeting with you both today. I’d nearly forgotten.”

“Forgotten? Us?” That made Nailah get a playful look in her eye. “I didn’t think that was possible; neither of us is very easy to forget, you know.” After all, it wasn’t every day you saw a wolf laguz outside of Gallia, and with herons you hardly saw them at all anymore, for reasons that need not be said.

“Yes, well, I am a little distracted.” Micaiah admitted, looking from side to side before leaning in to whisper to the both of them. “I’ve lost Pelleas, and I haven’t a clue as to where he might be.”

“You lost him?” Rafiel repeated, slightly stunned. “Well, what happened before he went missing?”

“He hasn’t been saying much to me lately, so I was concerned that he might be upset with me for some reason.” Micaiah paused a moment, resting her head against her hand thoughtfully. “After I asked him what the problem was, he got really embarrassed, said that he is the problem for being unable to hide his feelings any longer, and ran off. Now I’m even more worried but I can’t find any sign of him. I don’t suppose either of you have seen him?”

Nailah and Rafiel glanced at each other in realization. They had known that Micaiah wasn’t the best at picking up on the feelings of others, but this was on another level entirely. “We haven’t, but I think I might know where he is.” Rafiel told Micaiah as Nailah tried not to laugh at her obliviousness. “However, it might be best if I go on my own. In the meantime, why don’t you speak with Nailah? The meeting is due to begin soon regardless.”

“I- are you sure you can find him?” Micaiah asked, genuinely surprised. “I haven’t any idea of where he might be.”

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Rafiel offered Micaiah a reassuring smile. “Believe me, I’m quite sure. I’ll make sure he comes to see you as soon as possible, so just wait here, alright?” Without waiting for an answer, Rafiel walked past Micaiah, heading in the direction she came from.

When he was out of sight, Nailah wrapped an arm loosely around Micaiah’s shoulders. “What a silly man.” She smirked as she looked down and met the eyes of the girl next to her. “We still have a little time before we’re supposed to talk about official business, so until then you’re welcome to tell me about anything that’s bothering you. What do you say.”

After only a moment’s hesitation, Micaiah hardly knew where to begin.  
—————————————————————  
After soaring over a nearby forest for several minutes, Rafiel finally spotted blue hair below, belonging to someone on top of a tree branch. Knowing that it wasn’t exactly a common color, even in Daein, he swooped down into the forest, dodging the higher branches, and landed next to the person who, of course, was in fact Pelleas. As Pelleas yelped and nearly fell off in surprise (thankfully only nearly, Micaiah was far from someone Rafiel would want to anger), Rafiel shifted out of heron form, and took a seat next to Pelleas. “So! It’s good to see you again.” Rafiel began a bit awkwardly. “How have you been, Pelleas?”

“Micaiah sent you to find me, didn’t she?” Pelleas asked sadly, getting straight to the point.

“Well, yes and no?” Rafiel struggled to think of how he wanted to answer. It was never easy speaking to the former King of Daein, but somebody definitely had to, given the circumstances. “She did tell me that you were missing and that she was starting to worry, but I went to look for you on my own. Anything I can help you with?”

“She’s worried, huh?” Pelleas sounded distant, and now even Rafiel was starting to be concerned. Was he possibly sick, and not just lovesick? “It’s nothing you can really help with, but to tell you the truth, there’s this girl I’m in love with, right? I keep trying to communicate my feelings to her, but she never seems to get what I mean, and it’s frustrating me so much that I’m starting to want to leave Daein just so I don’t have to see… that girl anymore.”

“Ah, you mean Queen Micaiah, do you not?” Rafiel asked, though he already knew the answer.

As he blushed deeply, Pelleas buried his head in his hands. “W-was I that obvious? Please tell me that’s not the case. If she knows and still acts like this towards me, then…” Even without him finishing his sentence, Rafiel knew what he meant to say. That he was afraid that she hated him.

That fear of being hated… Rafiel knew it well, though not in relation to anyone he had ever held dear.

“Worry not, Pelleas. I will admit that almost everybody who participated in the liberation of Daein has noticed your feelings by now, but the almost is the important part.” Rafiel smiled widely, his amusement apparent in his eyes. “For all her wisdom, she’s not the best with feelings. She still hasn’t noticed you love her at all.”

“Really?” Pelleas’s brow furrowed. “But I’ve tried so hard to make it obvious for her. Is it possible that she simply doesn’t feel the same way?”

For the briefest of moments, Rafiel considered telling Pelleas that Micaiah was equally as obviously in love with him, and was simply oblivious to his affections. However, he quickly decided against it; it was for the best if she said so herself first. “I think you should ask her that yourself,” Rafiel finally told him. “I’m sure that whatever her answer is, so long as you respect it, you will feel much better. You know how you feel, she knows how she feels. All that’s left is to talk to each other, and finally learn.” He paused for a moment. “You will respect her answer, right?”

“Of course!” Pelleas replied, seeming genuinely offended. “Who do you take me for, Gatrie?”

Again, Rafiel laughed. “My sincerest apologies. It just never hurts to make sure. Micaiah is like a daughter to me, and I would go to any effort to protect her.”

“I would as well. She deserves nothing less.” The determination Rafiel saw in Pelleas’s eyes right then was one he hadn’t seen since the former king had attempted to offer his life to protect Daein. In that moment, Rafiel instantly knew.

Micaiah is in good hands.

“Let’s head back then, shall we?” Rafiel asked, patting Pelleas on the back gently. “It would not be wise to keep Micaiah and Nailah waiting.” Not for fear of making them angry, but of making them worry. In general, he tried to worry Nailah as little as possible when he could help it; as Pelleas said, she deserved nothing less.

“Um, about that…” Pelleas glanced nervously at the ground below. “How do I get down?” At Rafiel’s bewildered look, Pelleas‘s expression became awkward. “I may or may not have climbed up here with the help of magic.”

For once, Rafiel genuinely didn’t know what to make of the situation. After a few moments of stunned silence, he looked down at the ground, then back at Pelleas. “Why don’t we try this; I’ll fly down, and give you advice as you climb down on your own.”

“...Is that really wise?”

“I’m afraid we don’t have any other choice.”  
—————————————————————  
Meanwhile, in the castle, Micaiah had been venting about her everyday problems to Nailah, who listened with learned patience and a practiced smile. Currently, the young queen was talking about an irritating group of nobles who were growing increasingly arrogant and, perhaps consequently, more foolish.

“-and then they told me that their commoners complain to them too much, like I’m supposed to do something about that?! It’s not like they aren’t wealthy enough to take care of their own problems, with all the extortion and usury they conduct all but openly! If they want to be left alone, then they should do something about the problems people are complaining about!” At the end Micaiah let out a long, frustrated sigh, and it was plain to see that they were being a real problem for her.

“Everybody wants to be the next Ludveck, I suppose. Though, at least he was smart instead of plain incompetent.” Nailah concluded, sympathizing heavily with Micaiah, as anyone in their right mind would. Just then, an idea struck Nailah, and she looked down at Micaiah curiously. “That said, why don’t you just kill them?”

For a second, it appeared that Micaiah had not understood a word she’d said. Before Nailah could repeat herself, however, Micaiah’s face became one full of outrage. “I am no tyrant, to go around killing people as I please! The days of Mad King Ashnard’s reign are long past! What basis could I possibly have for executing them?!”

“Egregious mistreatment of their subjects and misuse of taxes for the purposes of illegal activities.”

“-really thought better of you Nailah, and… wait, what?” Micaiah blinked, as if in disbelief. “Hold on, that could actually work!”

“You’re welcome.” Nailah replied with a proud grin. “Oh, and if they refuse to obey the law, you can add on high treason. That’s always a fun one.”

“Yes, yes, that would definitely work! I don’t have to execute them either, this would allow me to throw them in prison and confiscate their land.” For the first time since they had met that day, Micaiah at last seemed more excited than troubled to Nailah. “Oh, Nailah, I’m so sorry for what I said to you, I misunderstood completely! Goddess, I could kiss you!”

The thought of that finally made Nailah laugh. “Don’t worry about it, though I’m afraid I’ll have to turn you down when it comes to the kiss. Besides, isn’t there somebody else you want to kiss right now?”

With a frown, Micaiah shook her head. “Hm, I’m afraid can’t think of anyone. Who exactly do you mean?”

By the heavens, she was a fool both in and about love. Might as well tease her a little. “Oh, let me think. Blue hair, blue eyes, purple shirt, white cape?”

Immediately, Micaiah went as red as a beet. “I- I don’t- I haven’t any clue what you’re talking about! There isn’t anything going on between me and Pelleas!”

“Hm? Who said anything about Pelleas?” Nailah asked innocently, a playful glint in her eye. “Unless… you were already thinking about him?”

“No, of course not! I- oh, goddess. What am I doing?” Micaiah tried unsuccessfully to hide how red her face was getting behind her hands. “I do love him, you’re right. It’s just, he’s been through so much, wouldn’t he be better off just having a friend he can rely on than someone who’s always too busy to love him like he deserves?”

“Look me in the eye and say that again.” Nailah ordered, though it was not said harshly. When Micaiah put her hands down and met Nailah’s eye, she found that she couldn’t utter a word. “See? You don’t really believe that. The fact that you’re so concerned about whether you can love him enough is proof that you love him all that you need to. If nothing else, I want you to understand that, Micaiah.”

“Yes, I… that makes sense. Thank you, Nailah, for clearing my head of useless thoughts. It seems I owe you another debt that I can never repay.” The smile that Micaiah showed then was so genuine that even Nailah had to look away from it, as it shined as brightly and innocently as the dawn.

“Yeah, well, don’t mention it. The whole world owes you a favor or two, really. This was the least I could do.” Even as Nailah said that, both of them knew that even she didn’t really believe it. “So now that we’ve cleared that up, what are you going to do?”

“As soon as those two get back, I’m going to confess my true feelings to Pelleas, and start communicating more effectively with him, whether or not he accepts me.” He absolutely would accept her love, but Nailah didn’t need to mention that. After all, he’d be doing it himself soon enough.

“Good girl.” After a moment’s hesitation, Nailah ruffled Micaiah’s hair, causing her to giggle. “Now just what’s taking them so long?”

“Apologies, my love.” Nailah and Mocaiah turned to see Rafiel walking down the hallway towards them, Pelleas at his side. “Matters were more complicated than I had expected. More importantly, he is here now and without a scratch on him.” Rafiel and Pelleas looked at each other and nodded silently, after which Pelleas rushed forward and embraced Micaiah.

“I’m so sorry I ran off so suddenly...” He whispered. “I hadn’t meant to worry you.”

Returning the hug almost immediately, Micaiah patted Pelleas’s back in a soft, slow rhythm. “All is forgiven, so don’t concern yourself with it. Whatever I might have done, I’m sorry for it too.” They released each other and then stood with their faces just apart, holding each other’s hands.

A single, awkward cough from Nailah killed all of the tension immediately. “So about the meeting…”

At once, Micaiah and Pelleas turned red, immediately looking away from each other, overwhelmed with embarrassment. “Right, yes, of course. Thank you, Nailah. I’ll be in my throne room in ten minutes. Now if you’ll excuse me…” Micaiah walked very stiffly down the hallway in one direction.

“I, uh, I’ll just stay out of your way. Thank you for everything, both of you.” Despite his embarrassment, Pelleas seemed genuinely grateful, and he took Rafiel’s hand in his own and shook it. Then he went towards the opposite direction in the hallway.

As soon as both of them were out of sight, Rafiel turned to Nailah, clearly exasperated. “Nailah!” He said with as much anger as he could muster, which was astoundingly little. “They were so close! So close! How could you interrupt that?”

“I sometimes think I’m more committed to the interests of the Bird Tribe than you are.” Nailah chuckled. “Besides, it’s fun to tease the two of them. And you. You’re a lot of fun to tease.”

“You’ll be the end of me, Nailah, and I’ll thank you for it.” He lifted one of Nailah’s hands and pressed his lips to it. “Goddess, I love you.”

“There’s no goddess who could stand between you and I.”

“Who said I was talking about the one in the heavens, and not the one standing before me?”

That made Nailah herself blush deeply for once, smiling bashfully as though she was young again. “Oh, you… I love you more than you can possibly know.”

“Maybe.” Rafiel raised his head and met her gaze. “But I can try. You’re worth the effort.”

Once again, she kissed his lips, and only pulled away reluctantly. “We should head to the throne room.”

“Certainly. I’d hate to keep Micaiah waiting.” No matter how enjoyable the reason, Rafiel thought.

Hand in hand, they walked together, never wanting to let go of each other.  
—————————————————————  
When, a year later, they attended the wedding of the Queen of Daein to the former and now future King, they did not say a word about the role they had played in the romance of the two, although Rafiel may have cried a little bit out of happiness.

When they danced after the ceremony, and Rafiel looked at Nailah’s smiling face, he saw not just his savior and hero, but the woman he loved with all his heart and cherished with all his song.

Her arms wrapped gently around him as his were around her, and their feet moving to the same rhythm, they enjoyed the company of the full moon as they spent that time together, and how the light from it only made the other even more beautiful.

As they ended the night with Nailah resting her head on Rafiel’s lap as he sang a sweet song of affection to her in that language lost to most, he could only think one thing.

Under the heat of the sun or the light of the moon, I will love her to the end of days.


End file.
